Author Topic: US Politics Thread |OT| THE DARKEST TIMELINE (Read 2772958 times)

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #901 on:** May 15, 2013, 11:11:33 AM »

Seems like all this will do is ensure Obama doesn't get a thing done in his second term. Maybe immigration but it's being delayed by this nonsense now, and will return just in time for summer recess/protests. Meanwhile the IRS thing is the perfect way to increase conservative turnout in 2014, and I'd imagine the underlining message will be "if we win enough seats we can impeach Obama!"

So get used to this bros, it's all they got.

Brehvolution · « **Reply #902 on:** May 15, 2013, 11:52:29 AM »

And it's all for the media's benefit. Benghazi is bullshit, the IRS thing Obama isn't even directly involved, and the AP shit the GOP doesn't even care about because they did that shit too.

Joe Molotov · « **Reply #903 on:** May 15, 2013, 12:30:04 PM »

Jen Rubin on the AP thing:

Quote

One can only imagine if the Bush administration pulled this.

Uhhh....

UHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH....

Steve Contra · « **Reply #904 on:** May 15, 2013, 12:35:07 PM »

Brehvolution · « **Reply #905 on:** May 15, 2013, 01:20:39 PM »

It's important that tea baggers and conservatives feel that sting of discrimination. It should give them a little perspective the next time they may discriminate against someone.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Who the fuck am I kidding?

[close]

Broseidon · « **Reply #906 on:** May 15, 2013, 01:24:59 PM »

Quote from: Zero Hero on May 15, 2013, 01:20:39 PM

It's important that tea baggers and conservatives feel that sting of discrimination. It should give them a little perspective the next time they may discriminate against someone.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
Who the fuck am I kidding?
[close]

You must be confused. TRUE PATRIOTS like Tea Party supporters are already the most discriminated-against and oppressed group in the country

Brehvolution · « **Reply #907 on:** May 15, 2013, 01:28:09 PM »

You must be the one confused. This is THEIR country and everyone else is just lucky to live here. They just need to take their country back.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #908 on:** May 15, 2013, 01:51:31 PM »

No, no, no, no.

Brehvolution · « **Reply #909 on:** May 15, 2013, 02:05:14 PM »

http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/about-those-little-tea-party-groups

Joe Molotov · « **Reply #910 on:** May 15, 2013, 02:46:54 PM »

Quote from: Zero Hero on May 15, 2013, 02:05:14 PM

http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/about-those-little-tea-party-groups

Anyone with a name like Net Ryun deserves to be audited, there's no way that's a real name.

Brehvolution · « **Reply #911 on:** May 15, 2013, 03:16:15 PM »

It's short for Aquanet.

Dickie Dee · « **Reply #912 on:** May 15, 2013, 04:32:01 PM »

Sounds like a shitty Star Wars EU character

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #913 on:** May 15, 2013, 06:31:41 PM »

Obama just fired the acting IRS head; we don't have an official IRS chief because (guess) republican obstruction, so the department has been run by an unofficial head. And the WH released 100 Benghazi emails that make it pretty clear nothing improper happened outside of the State Department (naturally) being upset about the CIA. Now can we move on to real issues? Nope!

Dickie Dee · « **Reply #914 on:** May 15, 2013, 06:37:41 PM »

Great Rumbler · « **Reply #915 on:** May 15, 2013, 06:41:05 PM »

Positive Touch · « **Reply #916 on:** May 15, 2013, 07:25:46 PM »

Quote from: Phoenix Dark on May 15, 2013, 06:31:41 PM

Obama just fired the acting IRS head; we don't have an official IRS chief because (guess) republican obstruction, so the department has been run by an unofficial head. And the WH released 100 Benghazi emails that make it pretty clear nothing improper happened outside of the State Department (naturally) being upset about the CIA. Now can we move on to real issues? Nope!

hey obama, remember when you tried to reason with republicans and it didnt work?

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #917 on:** May 15, 2013, 08:02:08 PM »

That's why I ignore Politico. They're the definition of what's wrong with "journalism" today. It's all narrative mining and an obsessive focus on projection. The White House gets hit with three scandals, one of which is blatantly bullshit (Benghazi), the other is important yet has no ties to Obama directly (IRS)...and the story is Obama=Nixon. A couple democrats make careful "we need to get to the bottom of this" statements=DC Turns on Obama. It's just stupid.

This is what happens when you don't have anyone looking at policy. Everything has been condensed into a disposable "who won who lost" focus as if this shit is sports.

TLDR:

Himu · « **Reply #918 on:** May 15, 2013, 08:05:52 PM »

The new thread title

Steve Contra · « **Reply #919 on:** May 15, 2013, 08:13:47 PM »

The Brooks/Reilly comparison is apt. I know I shouldn't read either, but occasionally... :'(

I never read Politico though. Oy vey.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #920 on:** May 15, 2013, 08:27:40 PM »

The Hollinger comparison is perfect. Remember during the election when Peggy Noonan, Joe Scarbourough, etc were dismissing Nate Silver's nerd numbers because they "had a feeling" Romney was actually in the lead?

DCharlieJP · « **Reply #921 on:** May 15, 2013, 08:31:39 PM »

That march with loaded guns on Washington is looking somewhat ill advised right now

of course, if any shots are fired it will of course be a false flag incident to further take away dem guns

Boogie · « **Reply #922 on:** May 15, 2013, 08:44:46 PM »

Quote from: Phoenix Dark on May 15, 2013, 08:02:08 PM

TLDR:

Never gets old.

Joe Molotov · « **Reply #923 on:** May 15, 2013, 09:31:12 PM »

Quote from: Phoenix Dark on May 15, 2013, 08:27:40 PM

The Hollinger comparison is perfect. Remember during the election when Peggy Noonan, Joe Scarbourough, etc were dismissing Nate Silver's nerd numbers because they "had a feeling" Romney was actually in the lead?

(Image removed from quote.)

You know who else had big, exciting rallies?

No points if you correctly guessed

Himu · « **Reply #924 on:** May 15, 2013, 09:56:32 PM »

is that gun march still going to happen

AdmiralViscen · « **Reply #925 on:** May 15, 2013, 10:53:20 PM »

My life is definitely way better now

DCharlieJP · « **Reply #926 on:** May 15, 2013, 11:53:58 PM »

That feels you get when you think someone has made an awesome sarcastic tweet and you favourite it only to realise they are -deadly- serious!

REPEAL ROE V WADE, BRING NEW LAWS TO ENFORCE MARRIAGE!!!

Lol nice one dudeee lool. Oh wait.... what?!

Also - the fact that someone alive in this time frame can posit this as an active thought let alone a reason to impeach someone is frankly offensive

"Eric Holder has directed the DOJ not to enforce the federal Defense of Marriage Act. In doing so, Holder has violated his oath of office and clearly shows his violation of the laws of Nature and Nature’s God."

Al Q must be howling with laughter - they don't need to attack America because the GOP are doing their job for them of trying to send America back to the dark ages.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #927 on:** May 16, 2013, 01:31:21 AM »

Holder not enforcing DOMA is one of the few things he's done that I like, well outside of some of his civil rights defense. Overall I'll actually be glad when he's gone, given his (and Obama's) shitty record on civil liberties. I don't think I would have ever guessed Obama would be worse on these issues than Bush.

Still, I'll at least give Holder dap for slapping down republicans like Issa at the hearing today.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #928 on:** May 16, 2013, 01:40:56 AM »

oh look, no evidence the White House interfered with the IRS reports

Quote

We asked the Acting Commissioner, Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division; the Director, EO; and Determinations Unit personnel if the criteria were influenced by any individual or organization outside the IRS. All of these officials stated that the criteria were not influenced by any individual or organization outside the IRS. Instead, the Determinations Unit developed and implemented inappropriate criteria in part due to insufficient oversight provided by management. Specifically, only first-line management approved references to the Tea Party in the BOLO [Be on the Look-Out] listing criteria before it was implemented. As a result, inappropriate criteria remained in place for more than 18 months.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2013/05/15/here_s_the_troublesome_part_of_the_ig_report_that_rescues_top_democrats.html

So as suspected, the media jumped to Nixon comparisons before the facts were presented. Alas the damage is done, the cow is milked, etc. But clearly the White House wasn't involved, and the idea that this proves Obama is "asleep at the wheel" strikes me as ridiculous; last I checked, the president does not micromanage each department of government (especially the IRS).

Mupepe · « **Reply #929 on:** May 16, 2013, 08:30:53 AM »

It's almost like the average person doesn't actually know how large organizations are run.

Joe Molotov · « **Reply #930 on:** May 16, 2013, 09:09:36 AM »

Well Obama did appoint the guy that's in charge of the IRS....oh wait, no he didn't because the Republicans are boycotting all his nominations.

Great Rumbler · « **Reply #931 on:** May 16, 2013, 09:13:02 AM »

Quote from: Joe Molotov on May 16, 2013, 09:09:36 AM

Well Obama did appoint the guy that's in charge of the IRS....oh wait, no he didn't because the Republicans are boycotting all his nominations.

The IRS commissioner when all of this was going on was Douglas Shulman, a Bush appointee.

Howard Alan Treesong · « **Reply #932 on:** May 16, 2013, 02:56:38 PM »

well if Obama didn't like who Bush picked he should have nominated his own guy!

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #933 on:** May 16, 2013, 03:32:40 PM »

37th Obamacare repeal vote today

although I've noticed many of our younger patients coming in and mentioning they've been dropped due to their employer (fast food, stores, etc) moving them to part time. That's a legit bad part of the law IMO. I agree with the idea behind it, but it's too easily exploitable by greedy corporations.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #934 on:** May 17, 2013, 12:11:03 AM »

confirmed, GOP made up the emails
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57584947/wh-benghazi-emails-have-different-quotes-than-earlier-reported/

Joe Molotov · « **Reply #935 on:** May 17, 2013, 12:19:47 AM »

Quote from: Phoenix Dark on May 17, 2013, 12:11:03 AM

confirmed, GOP made up the emails
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57584947/wh-benghazi-emails-have-different-quotes-than-earlier-reported/

Quotes were changed about talking points being changed. We need to go deeper.

Mandark · « **Reply #936 on:** May 17, 2013, 11:36:29 AM »

Quote from: Steve Contra on May 14, 2013, 07:41:38 PM

I still don't know what the Republicans want me to be upset about in regards to Benghazi. Mandark? (Not you new guy)

Mostly that Obama got re-elected.

More seriously, I don't think there's a single, agreed-upon version of events. It's more that these folks already know that Obama's weak on terrorism, that his administration is incompetent, that the media covers for him, and that he's untrustworthy and possibly anti-American. If you know all that, what are the odds that something like Behghazi happens without major wrongdoing from Obama at some point? It's like Whitewater: the details are confusing, the accusations are vague at this point, but they're pretty sure that if you keep digging, something will come up.

Steve Contra · « **Reply #937 on:** May 17, 2013, 11:50:53 AM »

Thanks. I kind of figured that.

Brehvolution · « **Reply #938 on:** May 17, 2013, 01:28:43 PM »

A criminal past is essential to be in the GOP

Quote

When Issa ran for the Senate in 1998, he rewrote his past:

"He had been a soldier, and he claimed that he was part of an elite bomb detecting unit that guarded President Nixon at the 1971 World Series," said Williams.

Williams called up the Nixon Presidential Library, and was told that Nixon hadn't gone to any World Series games that year. Then Williams looked into Issa's purportedly stellar career in the Army.

"The biography that he was providing the press in the context of his campaign was all wrong. He had a bad conduct rating. He was demoted, and a fellow soldier accused him of stealing his car," said Williams.

Quote

Joey Adkins, the former owner of Steal Stopper, provided the main evidence against Issa. On the afternoon of September 20, 1982, in a lengthy recorded interview with an insurance investigator, he described a series of suspicious actions by Issa before the fire. Adkins, who still worked for Steal Stopper, said that Issa removed the company’s Apple II computer from the building, including “all hardware, all software, all the instruction books,” and also “the discs for accounts payable, accounts receivable, customer list, everything.” According to Adkins, Issa also transferred a copy of every design used by Steal Stopper from a filing cabinet to a fireproof box. He also said that Issa put in the box some important silk screens used in the production of circuit boards. Insurance officials noted that, less than three weeks before the fire, Issa had increased his insurance from a hundred thousand dollars to four hundred and sixty-two thousand dollars. “Quite frankly,” Adkins told the investigator, “I feel the man set the fire.”

Great Rumbler · « **Reply #939 on:** May 17, 2013, 03:12:06 PM »

Quote from: Zero Hero on May 17, 2013, 01:28:43 PM

A criminal past is essential to be in the GOP
Quote
When Issa ran for the Senate in 1998, he rewrote his past:

"He had been a soldier, and he claimed that he was part of an elite bomb detecting unit that guarded President Nixon at the 1971 World Series," said Williams.

Williams called up the Nixon Presidential Library, and was told that Nixon hadn't gone to any World Series games that year. Then Williams looked into Issa's purportedly stellar career in the Army.

"The biography that he was providing the press in the context of his campaign was all wrong. He had a bad conduct rating. He was demoted, and a fellow soldier accused him of stealing his car," said Williams.

Quote
Joey Adkins, the former owner of Steal Stopper, provided the main evidence against Issa. On the afternoon of September 20, 1982, in a lengthy recorded interview with an insurance investigator, he described a series of suspicious actions by Issa before the fire. Adkins, who still worked for Steal Stopper, said that Issa removed the company’s Apple II computer from the building, including “all hardware, all software, all the instruction books,” and also “the discs for accounts payable, accounts receivable, customer list, everything.” According to Adkins, Issa also transferred a copy of every design used by Steal Stopper from a filing cabinet to a fireproof box. He also said that Issa put in the box some important silk screens used in the production of circuit boards. Insurance officials noted that, less than three weeks before the fire, Issa had increased his insurance from a hundred thousand dollars to four hundred and sixty-two thousand dollars. “Quite frankly,” Adkins told the investigator, “I feel the man set the fire.”

What a scumbag.

And the War on Terror is never going to end, because it CAN'T end. Terrorism is not a state that can be conquered or forced into signing a peace treaty, it's an IDEOLOGY. You can't win a war of ideology with tanks and bombers. Not that that's some grand insight, of course, just the plain, old obvious.

Rufus · « **Reply #940 on:** May 17, 2013, 03:55:22 PM »

It's fueled by ideology.

Rufus · « **Reply #941 on:** May 17, 2013, 04:19:03 PM »

Right. It doesn't look like we're fundamentally disagreeing about anything. As Rumbler said though, it doesn't look like it's a fight anyone's going to win with weapons. Whatever it is, regional dominance, access to resources, revolutionaries trying to set up authoritarian Islamic nations, all of the above, what's being done doesn't appear to be getting anywhere and the prognosis isn't bright either.

Mandark · « **Reply #942 on:** May 17, 2013, 05:26:52 PM »

It's only unprecedented if you consider the policy of drone strikes, renditions, etc. to qualify as continuous "war" in a way that the Cold War and its attendant conflicts didn't.

I don't think the prediction of this continuing is that surprising. AQ or similar groups will almost definitely keep operating for another few decades, and as long as they do it's going to be a high priority for anyone holding office to stop them from successfully attacking American targets. Domestic pressure on civil liberties and international resistance on sovereignty grounds hasn't been stiff enough to change the policy much, and that's pretty much that.

The interesting/concerning thing for me is the degree to which anti-terrororism policy has been determined through the executive branch, without much transparency, accountability, or democratic process. Most people seem to prefer to not know what's going on, and to feel secure that somewhere someone (probably Jack Bauer) is taking care of it.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #943 on:** May 17, 2013, 05:39:43 PM »

What better way to metastasize perpetual war than blow people's kids and neighbors up with drones.

DCharlieJP · « **Reply #944 on:** May 18, 2013, 02:15:36 AM »

Latest loools :

President himself manufactured the Bengazhi, IRS, etc scandals so GOP would be (rightfully) outrages <-- impeachment offence

... So he could silently push through immigration reform unnoticed so he could let millions of muslims into the country <--- impeachment

Given the levels of idiocy building up now i'm not going to die of shock if some dipshit tries something stupid.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #945 on:** May 18, 2013, 02:37:26 AM »

We've long passed that point. We have people openly accusing him of treason, of hating America, watching four Americans die in Benghazi for entertainment, etc. All while mainstream figures provide an air of legitimacy to all this, fanning the flames.

So when these scandals come and go from mainstream attention, they'll continue to fester on the far right, and the people frothing at the mouth right now will be wondering how did he not pay for his crimes. To be fair so far Washington republicans aren't beating the impeachment drum overall, but at some point soon enough they'll jump the shark. It seems pretty clear we're in Clinton 98 mode now, a new conspiracy each month.

I wouldn't be surprised if part of this is meant to slow down the immigration push, and give republicans an out (Obama poisoned the well with his scandals!).

Great Rumbler · « **Reply #946 on:** May 18, 2013, 10:51:12 AM »

I can't wait for the House to finally impeach Obama, only to find that the vast majority of Americans don't want that at all.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #947 on:** May 18, 2013, 07:56:14 PM »

http://www.mediaite.com/online/right-wing-radio-host-pete-santilli-hillary-clinton-needs-to-be-shot-in-the-vagina/

Great Rumbler · « **Reply #948 on:** May 18, 2013, 09:11:47 PM »

Wait...that guy thinks that Hillary Clinton had Seal Team Six assassinated because they knew the truth about the Osama hunt being faked?

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #949 on:** May 19, 2013, 12:18:41 AM »

Quote

By firing three short-rangle missiles of its east coast Saturday, North Korea made good on several months of threats and provocations, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Two missile launches were deteced on Saturday morning by the South Korean Defense Ministry, with another launch detected in the afternoon.

North Korea's last short-range missile launch came a couple months ago.

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/north-korea-fires-three-missiles-off-its-east

wag the dog!

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #950 on:** May 19, 2013, 04:59:03 PM »

Holy shit I've never seen Jennifer Rubin irl before; I based my mental image of her off the illustration that goes along with her Washington Post articles. She has crazy eyes
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/jennifer-rubin-goes-off-on-david-shuster-for-reciting-media-matters-talking-points-tells-cnn-to-mute-him/

Human Snorenado · « **Reply #951 on:** May 20, 2013, 12:32:35 AM »

'merica! The dumber we are, the easier it is to distract us with American Idol, Jersey Shore and monster truck shows. Who needs school to clean up after rich people anyway?

http://www.takepart.com/article/2013/05/13/michigan-school-district-fires-teachers-closes-schools?cmpid=tp-ptnr-upworthy

(also, Mandark- take responsibility for Jennifer Rubin, plz. lest I hate fuck her)

Human Snorenado · « **Reply #952 on:** May 20, 2013, 12:58:41 PM »

I'm sure it does, Jr. The same guy holding Michelle Obama's "whitey" tape hostage probably has it. Any day now.

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/rand-paul-claims-damning-irs-memo-exists?ref=fpa

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #953 on:** May 20, 2013, 01:00:41 PM »

Meanwhile in the real world, Obama's approval goes up despite the biggest scandals of allll time
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/05/obama-scandals-approval-rating.php?ref=fpb

Human Snorenado · « **Reply #954 on:** May 20, 2013, 01:03:33 PM »

Great Rumbler · « **Reply #955 on:** May 20, 2013, 02:38:56 PM »

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/wapo-doj-spied-on-fox-news-reporter?ref=fpb

lol

Joe Molotov · « **Reply #956 on:** May 20, 2013, 03:01:51 PM »

Quote from: Creepy Old Guy on May 20, 2013, 12:58:41 PM

I'm sure it does, Jr. The same guy holding Michelle Obama's "whitey" tape hostage probably has it. Any day now.

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/rand-paul-claims-damning-irs-memo-exists?ref=fpa

Quote

"And when that comes forward, we need to know who wrote the policy and who approved the policy," Paul told CNN.

WHO'S GONNA TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS IMAGINARY EVIDENCE!?

DCharlieJP · « **Reply #957 on:** May 20, 2013, 03:56:56 PM »

Quote

WHO'S GONNA TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS IMAGINARY EVIDENCE?!

Wouldnt this actually be a treason (or similar) offense if it is established that this whole thing was manufactured? I mean if the right want to get technical about frigging Umbrella protocol i'm sure theres some yee olde law in there that they could be charged with.

Great Rumbler · « **Reply #958 on:** May 20, 2013, 04:00:39 PM »

No, it's okay, though, because Rand Paul is only repeating what some other people are saying, that's definitely not a crime.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #959 on:** May 20, 2013, 04:02:57 PM »

It's amazing how obsessed they are with appealing to 30% of the country.

News:

Author Topic: US Politics Thread |OT| THE DARKEST TIMELINE (Read 2772958 times)